Mystery surrounds the placing of dolls in an area of woodland in Cannock Chase.

A doctor told jurors she believed a baby girl caught pneumonia before she suffered a collapse and later died, a trial heard.

A father shouted and clapped his hands at a gunman in a bid to stop him from shooting his 15-year-old son, a trial heard.

Nearly three quarters of fines handed out by police for Covid breaches have not yet been paid, it has been revealed.

Ministers have been urged to offer cash incentives to firms in a bid to encourage investment in a West Midlands gigafactory.

Lockdown measures could be extended unless Covid rule breakers start to stick to regulations, a police chief has warned.

An illegal immigrant forced to work at a Black Country cannabis factory in order to pay off debts to human traffickers has been jailed.

See the latest figures for coronavirus cases and deaths in your area.

A lack of step-free access at Wolverhampton railway station while a lift is out of action has been branded "unacceptable" by a charity.

Rates are continuing to fall, although the West Midlands is still seeing among the highest number of infections in the UK.

West Midlands Police has drafted in almost 50 officers to deal with a record spike in domestic abuse cases.

A large flame-resistant fence has been installed around a housing estate amid fears over its close proximity to a hazardous waste site.

Referrals to agencies in the West Midlands over parents using drug and alcohol have soared, figures show.

It was the place to stay, a fact reflected in its visitor book.

Calls have been made for this year's elections to be delayed for up to three months to allow for door-to-door campaigning.

A community church is looking for a permanent home for its food bank.

Jaguar Land Rover's plans for an all-electric future have been welcomed by motor industry figures and academics.

Two businesses have joined forces to help support under-pressure NHS workers by collecting over 10,000 donations of bottled water, coffee, tea and biscuits.

Centenarian Eric Fieldhouse was treated as King for the day as he celebrated his milestone birthday with a letter from the Queen.

A newly qualified barber has scooped the Modern Barber Magazine’s Best Apprentice Award.

Two churches have been awarded government funding to help fund vital repairs during the coronavirus pandemic.

A school has launched a 100-mile challenge as part of its centenary celebrations – with the aim of raising £10,000.

MPs have called for a ban on China and Russia investing in the UK's defence industry.

Wild birds have been struggling to find food during the recent cold spell and the general manager of a garden centre is appealing to people to consider them.

Wolves players training in the car park, the jolly barber, and a friendly natter over the bacon slicer.

A table tennis club in Cheslyn Hay has been nominated for Club of the Year in recognition of its hard work over the past year.

Councillors have called for more police patrols and extra CCTV in a bid to tackle a spike in car crime in part of a city.

A toddler was found walking alone along a road by police - who discovered a 100-plant cannabis farm when they went to return the child home.

Read the latest column from Peter Rhodes.

A further 89 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed across the region, as the UK death toll rose by 799.

A Wolverhampton man is on trial accused of shooting a 15-year-old boy outside his grandparents' home.

A spate of catalytic converter thefts has been reported to police in Staffordshire.

Four passengers have each been fined £10,000 for failing to declare they had come from a 'red list' country when they landed at Birmingham Airport.

A man from South Staffordshire has become the most prolific donor of blood plasma in the country after his 24th donation.

Tarmac laid in a paved area of Stafford town centre is a “temporary solution” ahead of a major refurbishment project, Staffordshire County Council has said.

A convenience store seeking an alcohol licence faces opposition from neighbours amid claims booze sales are “out of control” in the area.

Police commissioner candidates have told voters how they would approach plans for a new £19 million firing range.

Some residents are avoiding Covid-19 tests because they are worried about having to take time off work to self-isolate or scared of receiving a positive result, councillors have said.

Plans to create a huge retirement complex which included the revamp of an historic building have been thrown out.

Police raided a pub called the 'Covid Arms' hidden in a Black Country garage on the same night they busted an illegal nightclub in the region.

Thrill-seekers have been dealt a blow after proposals to create an ‘escape room’ in a Darlaston industrial unit were rejected.

A disused Wolverhampton factory site that has stood empty for more than two decades is set to be transformed into new apartments.

A safe haven for terrified ethnic minority women fleeing violence and fear could be built in Walsall if plans are given the go ahead.

Volunteers who are helping with the Covid-19 vaccination efforts in Staffordshire have been praised by health chiefs.

A haul of rare Isle of Man coins is going under the hammer this month.

Almost 2,000 privately-owned empty properties in Wolverhampton have been brought back into use for families by council workers.

A B&B is to be turned into a luxury new home for people with learning difficulties, after 15 years of welcoming visitors to the Black Country.

The family of beloved Tipton twin Doris Hobday have thanked the community for lining the streets in support as she made her final journey.

Friends, family and well-wishers waved goodbye to beloved Tipton twin Doris as she was driven to her final resting place via her favourite supermarket.

A material that can be 3D printed and kills Covid -19 has been developed by scientists from Wolverhampton, who hope it will help reduce the spread of the disease.

Two Burntwood men have been charged with drugs and driving offences.

The Black Country Chamber of Commerce will launch its Black Country 2.0 campaign on February 25.

A health worker was dragged from her car and threatened with a knife at a busy Black Country car park.

A karate black belt teenager is tackling a new challenge in a marketing and promotions role at a Shropshire school.

Mass testing in an area of Walsall where a positive case of the South African Covid variant was found has finished with no more cases identified.

A wooden eel stolen from a country park near Bridgnorth will soon be returned home after washing up on the shore of a beach nearly 100 miles away.

A stolen 12ft wooden eel 'swam' south from near Bridgnorth and washed up on a beach 100 miles away.

A woman has been found dead at a council flat in Netherton.

A new play will aim to raise awareness of a classic painting and the story of the woman behind it.

Plans for a giant gigafactory in the West Midlands have moved a stage closer after a site was identified for the project.

Foam conversion business Ramfoam is continuing its ambitious growth plans with the appointment of four new senior sales staff at its Tividale headquarters.

People who fear they will be forced to get a Covid vaccine passport in order to gain entry into shops and pubs are "getting alarmed over nothing", an MP has said.

The Midlands is under-represented on television because of the way the industry is structured, says the writer of hit dramas Line of Duty and Bodyguard.

A planned railway station in Willenhall has been called a "catalyst" for the transformation of the town by council chiefs.

Uncertainty around weddings remains for venues and planners as they look to recover from a lost year.

Increasing the involvement of community pharmacies in the vaccine roll out will boost take up among minority groups, MPs have said.

A Sandwell charity has launched its first-ever public fundraising campaign to ensure it can continue supporting vulnerable people.

The restoration works at the Grade II* listed Argent Centre in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter have been revealed after a year-long project.

A hearing on the closure order of a hotel shut over breaching coronavirus rules and “continuing” reports of anti-social behaviour has been adjourned.

A further 27 coronavirus patients have died in hospitals in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Birmingham.

Residents in Sandwell are being advised to leave their bins out as crews work to catch up with missed collections due to Covid absences.

CCTV footage has been shared showing the moment a man was dragged from his car in a Wolverhampton carjacking.

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Dudley shooting victim Mohammed Haroon Zeb.

The fifth year of a city arts festival saw it go virtual for the first time and attract a global audience.

A couple have been fined for breaking coronavirus regulations on Valentine's Day.

A brochure aimed at attracting civil servants to work in Wolverhampton has raised eyebrows after claims it "encourages" them to live outside the city.

Campaigners fighting plans for a 'mini village' on green-belt land which serves as a buffer between Dudley and Wolverhampton say they will not tolerate a single brick being laid on the crucial nature corridor.

Objections have been made against a homeowner's plan to extend their property into ancient woodland.

A budget of more than £900 million to spearhead regeneration and other projects across the West Midlands has been backed by leaders.

A man in his late 80s had to be led to safety by fire crews after a cannabis factory fire in the house next to him.

A Black Country road has been closed after part of a factory roof collapsed into the road.

Jaguar Land Rover workers across the West Midlands have been told their jobs are secure for now - despite the company announcing plans to become all-electric by 2025.

Colleagues of a much-loved NHS worker who died with coronavirus have paid their respects in a roadside tribute as her funeral procession passed by the hospital where she worked.

Cannock Railway Station has become the region’s first to receive improvements driven by the West Midlands Stations Alliance.

Three men who travelled more than 100 miles to the Black Country for a child's birthday party have been given coronavirus fines.

The human condition and the differences between a public and private face will be discussed by one of the country’s top comedians.

A woman and a cat had to be led to safety by firefighters after a blaze started in a fridge freezer.

A pharmacy dispensing service has been set up within the outpatients department at a Black Country hospital.

Work is progressing on an almost £10 million community hub in South Staffordshire after it was backed by councillors.

A young pageant star has raised hundreds in aid of the NHS.

The continued caring work by a Black Country church is helping more than 100 families to provide meals for their children.

It was the end of an era for a well-established Wolverhampton carpet business which was closing its doors after nearly 100 years in the city.

Read the latest column from the Wolves Foundation.

A boxing club has launched a new support group to help tackle mental health issues.

Firefighters have tackled a "severe fire" at a house in Birmingham which ripped through the roof of the property.

"Celebrating history and the local working class experience is important, but so is the black experience."

The stories of love and the changing in attitudes were explored by a special film and panel.

A metal god descended from the sky to give a frank and, at times, very funny talk about his life and career.

The subjects of empire, imperialism and race were brought to life in a fascinating conversation with an award winning author.